Schneider



Aug. 10, 1954 H. SCHNEIIDIERH SLIDE-IN HANDLE FOR BRiEF CASES Original Filed Sept; 21, 1950 I 2 Sh9ets-Sheat 1 IN VEN TOR.

AITZZF/V fy HAROLD SCHNEIDER 3x5? Aug. 10, 1954 H. SCHNEIDER SLIDE-IN HANDLE FOR BRIEF CASES Original Filed Sept. 21, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

HAROLD SCHNEIDER I 7 (I, I Jaime/Y2) Reissued Aug. 10, 1954 SLIDE-IN HANDLE FOR BRIEF CASES Harold Schneider, New B by mesne assignments,

ucts Corn, tion of New York edford, Mass., assignon' to United Plastic Prod- Long Island City, N. Y., a corpora- Original No. 2,589,438, dated March 18, 1952, Serial No. 185,930, September 21, 1950. Application for reissue August 3, 1953, Serial No.

2 Claims.

reissue specification; matter printed in italics indicates This invention relates to new and useful im provements in handles for brief cases and the like, and more particularly to an improved handle of the retractable type.

Retractable brief case handles are known which include a pair of matching handle members each secured to one of the complementary folding sides of a brief case and each comprising a suitably bent wire covered with leather or the like. Such handle members are slidably secured in place each by means of rivets or the like which provide limit stops for portions of the covered wire inserted through a slit in the skin of the case. This type of handle has proven unsatisfactory in several respects. First, in order to secure the same to the case the latter must be provided with slits and with rivets or some other similar means. This is necessitated by the fact that the covered wires are not sufficiently resilient to regain their desired configuration if the ends thereof are sprung apart to be inserted through holes in the skin of the case. Also, due to the necessarily rounded form of the covered wire frictional difficulty is encountered in sliding the handle members to their retracted positions, and when in said retracted positions the covered wires are excessively bulky. Further the covering of the wire is quickly scuffed and discolored.

On object of the invention is the provision of a molded plastic retractable brief case handle of such resilience that the ends of the same can he sprung apart to engage or disengage the same from holes in the skin of the case without aifecting the permanent, configuration of the same.

Another object of the invention is to construct the molded handle in such manner that the same simulates a leather handle and complements the appearance of the case.

Still another object of the invention is to construct said handle in such manner that the same is freely slidable to retracted position and is non bulky when in retracted position.

A still further object of the invention is to construct said member of a plastic material adapted to resist scufiing and discoloration.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, ref erence will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended (Cl. 150-12) Matter enclosed in heavy brackets 1 appears in the original patent but forms no part of this the additions made by reissue.

claim in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a small scale perspective view of a brief case having a handle constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a sid elevational view of one of the components of said handle.

Fig. 3 is a side elevational View of the other side of said handle component.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the handle.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view similar to Fig. 2 but illustrating a modified ornamental decoration of the handle.

Fig. '7 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view on line 'l'! of Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view on line 88 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a side elevational view similar to Fig. 2 but illustrating a modified form of the invention.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 8 but illustrates the modified form of the invention.

Referring now to Figs. 1-8 wherein a form of the invention is illustrated the reference numeral 15 indicates a brief case comprising a pair of complementary side pieces H5 connectable together throughout their perimeters by a slide fastener ll. The side pieces I6 are each provided with a suitable lining I8 as shown in Fig. l, and each is provided with a pair of holes 20 located adjacent the top thereof and centrally relative to the side edges. According to the invention each pair of holes Zll is utilized to retractably secure a handle component 2| to the associate side piece Each handle component 2! is molded of any desired colored plastic material having sufficient resilience for the purposes hereinafter set forth and has the configuration of an inverted U with. tails 22 directed inwardly from the ends of the side arms thereof. Preferably the plastic used is polystyrene. As best shown in Figs. 2, 4, 5 and 6 the handle component is formed flat on one side and on the other side is rounded except for an edging flange 23 which may be provided with suitable indentations 24 to simulate stitching. The indentations 24 may be of any desired form 3 or need not be provided at all, which fact is illustrated by the modified indentations 24 in Fig. 6 and by the absence of indentations in Fig. 9. The configuration oi the handle is such as to simulate a leather covered wire handle and preferably the color thereof is chosen to match that of the brief case l5. To fitthe. crossbar of the-handle to the palm of the hand the under edge thereof is formed on a straight line while the upper edges of the rounded portion and the flange 23 there of are arched upwardly toward their centers, see

particularly Figs. 2 and 3.

The tails 22 of each handle component. 21; ex:- tcnd inwardly from the endsof the side. arms. of the latter in suchwise that their ends 25 are spaced a short distance apart. The under edges of the tails 22 are arranged at right angles to the side arms of the handlecomponent: but the;

upper edges of each tail tapers downward toward its inner end 25 so that said upper edges are located relative to said side arms at an anglein excess of 9(l. will be explained hereinafter.

Each handle component 21 is engaged with the holes 20 in one of the brief case side pieces i 6 in the following mannen. The. side arms of the handle component are spread apart as indi cated: in dot dash: lines. in; Fig; 2" tospace the ends 25 of the tails 22: aisuiii'cienir distance apart for the sameto be inserted through; the holes 20. Oncetlie said ends are! in theholes the component is allowed to resumeiirs normal configuration and the same is: secured? to the brief case with the side arms thereof slidably engaged in the holes 20. As shown in. Figs. 7; and 8; the flat side of the handle: component is placed 82d" jaeent the center of the; case: so that only the roundedouter. sides of (3118 two handle components are all: that: are contacted by the users hands; Each: handle component is retracted. by pushing the side arms thereof downward. into the holes 20; until'only'the crossbar-is visible; When in this position the semi-round? cross; section of the: side. arms effectively reduces: the resultant bulges in the side piece I 6.

Referring to Fig. 8.; iii-will be seen that the tapering upper edge at each tail i=2 causes the said edge to engage the material of side piece: 1-56 immediately adjacent the: hole 20:. This results" in that; when the briefcase is heavily loaded; the jolting of the load: is partially cushioned by a sliding action of the teale221 That is as; the material of a: sid'e pi'ece I 6: adiiacent each- 110163 2-0- ,jrolts downward on; the tapered upper edge off the associatetailazi the latter moves lengthwise a short distance, this: action causing the: handle components side arms; to spread slightly. This, it will beseen cushions said. jolts and lessens the fatiguerof thebriefi casels-carrier;

It is to be: mentioned? that the handle com.- .punents 21 can be disengagedrfrom; the holes; 20 as simply they are engaged therewith. byreversing the described procedure. This is an ad:- vantageous feature in their-thehandle can readily be removed if it: is desired to: utilize: the: brief case as an under=thearm bag.

In some instances brief cases are required: to carry loads of such weight that the above: described tails wouldbe forced out of the holes 20; disengaging the handle from. the brief case; For such instances the modified means shown in Figs. 9 and I is provided; In these figures like parts are given: the same reference numerals: as hereinbefore with a prime:- added.

In this form: of the? invention the tails: 27:" of

The purpose of. this constructionv each handle components 2| do not extend directly inward toward one another as described above but are inclined upward toward their free ends In this manner the said tails form, in effect, hooks which grip the adjacent edges of the holes 20 and effectively prevent disengagement of the: handle: trom the: brief case. This form of the handle is engaged with and dis engaged from the holes 20' in the same manner as described above, namely, by spreading the side. arms of each: handle component 2 I It will be noted, particularly from Figs. 4 and 5, that the elements 21 and 22 which inelude the grip: portion of the handle, the side arms and the tails are all in the same flat plane. From Figs. 2, 3, 6 and, it will be seen that the distance; be-t'wecnthc free ends 25 and 25' of the t'cilsi's less than the length of each tail.

It is to be understood that my improved slidein-handles may" be used in connection with any article which may be carried by handles, such as brief; cases of all ifkindl zipper ring binders. zipper envelopes; handbags, etc: This plastic handlemay beused for along time and will appear to be new indefinitely, whereas in the ordinary stitched leather covered handles the stitchesmay become unraveled after a comparatively short use and the exposed reintorcin'g: wire may injure the hands of the carrier.

The essence of the: invention: is: the provision of w slid'able' handle for a; brief case in the arms are: spaced a distance apart equal: to that between the holes; in the brief case and a. pair of tails extending inwardly from the ends; of the arms towards: each other; with the ends or the tails beingi p'acedr apart a: substantial dis--- tance. Ierr addition; the material o the handle has? sufficient? resilience sothat the: handle he sprung to: allow. time. taiis to enter the holler and, when the tension is: released; the handle returnsto' its original shape. plastic material is used which; has this property together with; the requisite strength.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention; it is to beunderstood that I do not limit myself tothe precise constructions herein disclosed and the right isreserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims:

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States LettersPatent is:

1. A handle for a brief having, a pair of side pieces each provided with a pair of holes therein centrally adjacent the upper edge thereof, which comprises a pair of inverted U-shaped, solid molded, resilient handle components each having a tail projecting inward at an upward inclination from the end of each arm, said side arms extending through said holes with said tails completely within the latter, and each said component being flat on one sideand having the other side rounded except for outer edging flange.

2. A handle for a brief case having a' pair of side pieces each with a pair of holes therein centrally adjacent the upper edge thereof, which comprises; a pair of solid, molded handle components each having. aninverterl U. shape and tails projecting inward: toward one another from the bottom. ends of the side arms of said handle components, saidhscnd'l'es, arms: and tailsbeing in, the? same plane, scidutails: being: completely engaged within said holes, the distance between the free ends of said tails being less than the length of each tail, said components being flat on one side and having the other side rounded except for an edging flange, said tails having their inner ends spaced a sujficient distance to be inserted into the holes of the side pieces by spreading the arms, the resiliency of said handle being suflicient to permit the side arms to spring back to their original position when released.

References Cited in the file of this patent Number or the original patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Hellman Mar. 28, 1928 Plotkin Sept. 8, 1936 Lifton Feb. 2, 1937 Thies et a1 Aug. 29, 1939 Klehr Apr. 11, 1950 Wolfson Aug. 1, 1950 

